The aircraft discussion broadens into a comparison of Italian and German military capability. At the start of World War II, the Regia Marina had a stronger and more balanced surface fleet than the Kriegsmarine, with battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and two decades of uninterrupted design development. Versailles had imposed a much sharper institutional break on German naval work. The SM.79 was probably the second-largest aircraft batch sent to the Aviazione Legionaria, behind the Fiat CR.32 fighter, which further illustrates the scale of Italy's Spanish intervention. Italy produced capable aircraft designs, but its industry had not completed the transition needed to manufacture enough modern machines during the war. Mussolini entered the conflict before the country's longer industrial and infrastructure program was ready.
Chapter · 51:35-54:43
Regia Marina strength and Italy's shortage of industrial time
The final comparison argues that Italy fielded a stronger, more mature surface fleet than Germany but entered war before its aircraft industry and wider rearmament were ready.